Shloka 12

Dakṣa-yajña-bhaṅgaḥ — Dadhīci’s Teaching and the Destruction of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

ईश्वरो हि जगत्स्त्रष्टा प्रभुर्नारायणः स्वराट् / सत्त्वात्मको ऽसौ भगवानिज्यते सर्वकर्मसु

Transliteration

īśvaro hi jagatstraṣṭā prabhurnārāyaṇaḥ svarāṭ / sattvātmako 'sau bhagavānijyate sarvakarmasu

Translation

Denn Nārāyaṇa ist wahrlich der Herr—der Schöpfer des Universums, der selbstherrliche Souverän. Jener Bhagavān, dessen Wesen sattva (Reinheit und lichtvolle Ausgewogenheit) ist, wird in allen Riten und Handlungen verehrt.

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• जगत्स्रष्टा: creator of the world
• जगत्स्रष्टा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्स्रष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक: जगत् + स्रष्टृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जगतः स्रष्टा)

• प्रभुः: master
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वराट्: self-ruling/sovereign
• स्वराट्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वराट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सत्त्वात्मकः: of the nature of sattva
• सत्त्वात्मकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्वात्मक (प्रातिपदिक: सत्त्व + आत्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सत्त्वेन आत्मा/स्वभावः यस्य); विशेषण (असौ)

• असौ: that (he)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इज्यते: is worshipped
• इज्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• सर्वकर्मसु: in all rites/actions
• सर्वकर्मसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक: सर्व + कर्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (सर्वाणि कर्माणि)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) reporting the Kurma Purana’s doctrinal teaching on Nārāyaṇa as Īśvara

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara
• Narayana
• Bhagavan

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

It presents Īśvara (Nārāyaṇa) as svarāṭ—independent and self-sovereign—who stands as the ultimate source and ruler of the cosmos, implying a supreme, self-established reality behind all manifestation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes sarva-karmasu ijyate—worship in all actions—supporting a yoga of consecrated activity (karma offered to Īśvara) grounded in sattva, which aligns with Purāṇic discipline: purity, steadiness, and God-centered intention in daily duties.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By declaring the supreme Īśvara as the universal creator and object of all rites, it supports the Kurma Purana’s integrative theology where the highest Lord can be praised through shared divine sovereignty—allowing Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis at the level of Īśvara-tattva.